[fatnotlazy]

My aunt just received a call from “the bank” claiming there was this massive lien on her house and unless she paid a certain amount of money, “the bank” was going to seize her house. Fortunately, my aunt had the presence of mind to question the caller — the obvious one being “what bank?” When the caller wouldn't say, my aunt hung up.

I keep tabs on my aunt all the time, cautioning her about the latest scams going around. She knows that, if she receives any sort of suspicious contact and is unsure what to do, she should call me. We youngsters don't necessarily have to take complete control of our older relatives’ finances, but we should take a special interest in our older family members, inform them about scams and tell them what to do if they receive any suspicious contact. They should also know they can come to us if they aren't sure what to do.

[mac_truck]

My aunt just received a call from “the bank” claiming there was this massive lien on her house and unless she paid a certain amount of money, “the bank” was going to seize her house.

An elderly relative who lives alone got a similar call from the "IRS" saying she faced arrest unless she forked over her bank information.

Even though she handled the caller properly you could tell the episode shook her up.